We are all lovers, devotees of a higher power, thousands of lovers, but the Beloved is one for all. He whom we desire is the beloved of the whole world and is the one God for all men, not specifically for Muslims only, or for Hindus only, or for Christians only.
          Sant Kirpal Singh

The destiny of a Gurmukh

Extract from a talk given in Hindi by Sant Kirpal Singh

 

Sant Kirpal SinghWhen a true Master accepts a disci­ple, that person's status changes. We were lost wanderers whom not one be­friended. Accepted by the Satguru, we were then recognized. He becomes an "accepted" soul, under the care of the Master.

We all live in the human form, but a really true human being is very rare. One who has compassionate feelings for others, who is the very image of love – so much so as to be filled with noth­ing else – can be called a true human be­ing. Such a being has the power to radi­ate this love to the whole world.

God is love, but we have not seen Him. However, we can see the person­ification of Him manifested in some true human being, who is the Power of God working on earth in a human pole. That person is love personified.

In the Gurbani it is written, "The Guru's pleasure is like a permanent springtime." When we receive His gift, it is like an everlasting breath of spring to the yearning soul, which then revels in the spiritual sustenance. There are two kinds of devotion: one at the sense-level, and the devotion of the Gurmukh.

Take the Lord's name through the Guru's word.

The I-hood is banished by the latter, not by the former.

In the Gurmukh's bhakti, the Sound is easily audible.

You cannot become absorbed into anything until all is stilled; for that the Naam is necessary. In the heart, the Light is apparent when you are ab­sorbed. That Light, which is already within you, then bursts forth into bril­liance. And into what should we be­come absorbed? That intoxication of God's Naam, through the Guru's teach­ing.

That Naam will take you back to God. It is sometimes called mysticism, and it is also called the Surat Shabd Yoga, but it is a natural practice which either child or venerable adult can equally do. Other practices are far too lengthy for this age. In Patanjali's yoga, for instance, one must transcend through six centres, one by one, before one can catch the Sound. So it is a won­derful concession that God has given in this age, that He has made it possible for anyone at any age to walk the Spiri­tual Path. In the olden days, a man had to spend many years at the Guru's Feet before he would be given anything – in these days, who can do this? The Guru must now first give something, and then the disciple learns to purify his life. You will be able to observe that the more the Kali Yuga (Iron Age) increases its force, the more grace does the Guru bestow – to save any soul.

He who is of one colour enjoys per­petual freedom; He has no fight with anyone.

He has right understanding; he has full awareness of the oneness of all life. He remains unaffected through each passing phase, while the ripples on the surface of the ocean of life come and go. He works endlessly, tirelessly in this field of action – yet is above the effects of action.

If he is a Gurmukh, he is unsuscepti­ble to the vicissitudes of life; manmukh is undependable.

The Gurmukh is he who is one with the Guru. And the Guru? He is the Word made flesh. He manifests Himself in the Guru and distributes the Shabd. He is not separate from the Shabd; He joins others to it. But a worshipper of the mind and senses – the manmukh – con­tinuously falls. What can be said of the rishis and munis of the past who per­haps fell only once or twice, when we stumble at each step we take. Whoever lives under the influence of the mind and senses will fall. You can compare it to the embers of a fire which, although they seem dead and are covered with ashes, yet will flare into life again with a little breeze. But if water is poured on the fire – then? This is what happens to the Gurmukh.

Once Guru Arjan sent one of his dis­ciples to stay with another disciple in Gujarat, an Indian state near Bombay. (My Master also sent people to me sometimes, saying, "Go brother, stay near him for eight or ten days") So Gu­ru Arjan gave this disciple a letter of in­troduction in which was written, "Keep the bearer of this letter with you for a few days." At the time he arrived and presented the letter, his host was busy preparing a funeral bier, so he asked him, "What is this for?" The host re­plied, "O, it will be useful." After a few days a marriage was arranged for the host's son, and after the ceremony at the bride's house they were returning home, when the son collapsed and died. When they brought the body into the house, the father went to his workroom and brought out the bier he had made. In amazement, the visiting disciple said, "When you knew that your son was go­ing to die, why did you allow him to marry?" The host replied, "It is the give and take of the karmas." The disciple considered carefully and realized that when the man had been making the bier, he had shown no sorrow, and when his son was married, he had shown no re­joicing. Who then was he? He was a Gurmukh, the mouthpiece of the Guru. Guru is the mouthpiece of God, and he who respects the Guru's every word will assuredly gain salvation. But a Gu­ru like this is found only through great destiny.

Now he tells of the manmukh: He is a manmukh who does not know of the Shabd, and does not fear the Guru's greatness.

The manmukh has no knowledge of the ever-existent God; but if you ever come to know what a Guru is, then there is nothing left to learn. The Guru teach­es this with love, with persuasion – aft­er all, they are his children! If a child is covered with filth, he cannot kill it. Under the influence of the mind, the manmukh has little understanding; he does not obey the Guru, he does not live for the Guru's pleasure, but he is con­cerned with his own will. The reason? He has little or no connection with the Shabd. When a person gets the connec­tion, he should keep it intact and not break it; only then will all the virtues come, without effort. The precious at­tribute of true humility will grow in his heart. Just listening to the Shabd is a treasure of all virtues.

Gurmukh becomes one with the Shabd, which is Creator of all; and all is His manifestation.

All is the Guru's or God's play – in­side and outside – for the Guru is the Shabd itself. When Guru Nanak was asked, who his Guru was, he replied, "My Guru is Shabd, which is the Crea­tor of all."

Only when you become a Gurmukh you do know the Truth; this is the gain from the Guru.

Whoever sits before a God-realized person in all sincerity, in his company he will come to understand what the Shabd is, and what is the true gain from the Guru.

Gurmukh knows the Lord of all kar­mas; in all four ages he proves the teaching of the Shabd.

The Gurmukh sings the praises of Shabd in all ages. St. John tells us that in the beginning was the Word. All creation was made afterwards.

Beware of those who declare them­selves Gurus, for a true Guru will never say this; instead, he sees that God is the Doer. Sometimes it might be that an in­toxicated man may murmur, "I am God, I am God" – that is something different, but there is no comparison between the ocean and a drop from that ocean. The sun and its ray are incomparable. When the ray realizes what it is, deep humility comes, and he is humble. Such realiza­tion of the Lord is like an over laden fruit tree, the weight of which bows the branches to the earth. He sees that some Power is working, and even if brickbats are thrown at him, yet he will give his blessing. Shankara said, "There is no difference between you and me; but the wave is of the ocean, the ocean cannot be of the wave."

Gurmukh does not die, he is not born. Gurmukh is one with the Shabd it­self

How can one who is one with the Shabd be born, and how indeed can he die? He returns to his Father's home, and does not come back to the world. If he does happen to return, it is not as a prisoner but as a doctor: a guide to hu­manity.

Gurmukh defines the ever-existent, imperishable Naam.

He gives the right understanding; he sees and then speaks. Without seeing, an explanation is like a blind man's knowledge.

With one Name, salvation swept the four ages. That Name is called the Shabd

The Naam Power, though one and the same, is known by different names. O my mind, repeat the one Name. When the Master gives the contact and opens the inner eye, what is outside will be the same as is seen inside.

The Gurmukh is in permanent peace and bliss. In his heart does the Naam re­side.

So contact with him will also give an inner peace and coolness. He is the Bread and Water of Life. He is saturat­ed with the Love of God – is desireless. The ups and downs of the world may come and go, yet he never worries; even if his body breaks into pieces, yet will he be whole. Daily he leaves his body; he dies daily, and death holds no sting for him. Christ told the people to take up the cross daily. Mira Bai says, "My Be­loved is resting on top of a scaffold (on the top of the skeleton of human body, at the Third Eye) – how can I meet Him?" How can those who are sitting at the sense-level meet the Lord? A hun­dred wise men will think alike, no mat­ter what the difference in their language or mode of speech. He who has unravelled the mystery can give an experi­ence to others, who, by daily increasing it, will become as wise as he. Do not all loving fathers desire their children to be even more successful than themselves? And which child will achieve that suc­cess? He who keeps the father's com­mandments.

Gurmukh becomes conscious of the Truth itself untouched by death, birth and rebirth.

He lives on an elevated level, he fin­ishes the give and take of the children, he is fully awakened and clearly sees the true condition of this illusory world.

Gurmukh bhakti (the devotion of the Gurmukh) is accepted at Court. He is absorbed in the true Shabd.

God accepts his devotion, because he is drenched in the Lord's colour. In him, God has manifested; and he lives in God. His angle of vision is different from others: he has realized Truth itself.

Night and day he sings (in praise of God), and goes with ease to his home.

Constantly absorbed in the love of God, he can go to his true home any time he likes. While singing the praises of God here on earth, yet when he goes home he is one with Him.

The true Satguru reveals the Shabd. Daily do the bhakti, and keep your at­tention on Him.

The Satguru makes audible the inner Sound, which is above the five senses.

Bhai Gurdas Ji says that if one wants to hear the Sound, one must rise above the five elements. And the more you tran­scend, the more will be revealed unto you. Only he who goes high enough can know Him who is the highest.

If you sing the song of the Lord, for­ever will the virtue of tranquillity reside in you.

The Guru Sahib says that he is over­flowing with joy to take His Name. By His grace, everything blossoms. He on whom rests the Guru's grace is perpet­ually in bloom.